Hate You Forever
by theyseemetr0llin-theyhatin
Summary: Rick knew abandoning Carol wouldn't be easy.


"Rick, how could you do this to me?"

Rick stared at his good friend Carol Peletier and wished he had something better to say. The car was loaded up with gas and food, things she would need on her own, and he was ready to go before he changed his mind.

"Well, Carol…you killed two people. Two innocent people."

"I did it for the greater good," she replied. "Somebody had to do something. What you're doing to me right now is way worse."

He wanted to ask how it was worse. Stabbing two people in the head, dragging them outside to light them on fire, and leaving them out in the open where anyone could've stumbled upon them, even a young child, seemed far worse in Rick's opinion.

"You may as well be leaving me for dead!" Carol pouted. "And I'm The Queen. I'm precious."

"Carol I might be leaving you for dead but because your actions two people **_really are dead_**."

"You aren't letting me say goodbye to my family…"

"Did you let Karen say goodbye to Tyreese before you stabbed her?" Rick asked.

Even though Carol had no good reply to that one Rick was still quivering in his boots. He knew when he got home Team Family would hate him forever for exiling The Queen. This was the end of the line for him, he'd never live it down, he'd still be hearing about years upon years later.

"Well yeah…but you're just an abusive asshole on a power trip. You're taking it upon yourself to kick me out, you aren't asking the council."

"Carol, did you ask the council if you could stabby rip stab-stab Karen and David?" Rick asked.

Once again, his question went unanswered. Rick tapped his foot, ready to just go home to the prison and be hated forever. He was ready for the long winded rants for how evil he was, even though he hadn't killed anyone…Carol had.

Finally, it got too hot outside so Rick decided to leave but only after he gave Carol a real big kiss on her ass. He even noticed some brown on his nose when he got into the car and looked in the rearview mirror but he didn't wipe it off because he was too busy crying, his eyes filling with tears of sadness.

Back at the prison he ran into Maggie first. She was clearing the fence of walkers, a job Carol would've done better, and the first thing out of Maggie's mouth was asking where Carol was. Rick wiped some tears from his eyes, still missing his friend but knowing it had to be done before answering.

"Well Maggie, I kicked her out of the group. She was the one that killed Karen and David. I couldn't trust her running around anymore, what if the kids got sick?"

Maggie gave a simple shrug and nodded.

"I don't blame you," she said. "I would've done it too. I mean no one is going to remember that I agree with you Rick, everyone will hate you for it, never mind the fact that I have nothing to gain by agreeing with you except that what she did is morally objectionable and that's why they'll ignore the fact that I agreed. But I'll be free from the wrath, every last bit will be aimed at you. Thanks, you're a pal."

"Right…" Rick agreed, his heart hammering in his chest. "You're welcome."

As he walked inside the prison Rick prayed everyone else was as agreeable as Maggie but he knew that was an idiot's prayer. Carol was too many people's fav, Rick was in deep shit. He had a funny feeling this conflict was going to last forever, that until the day he died people would stand on either side of the fence – Team Carol or Team Rick and the moment they almost forgot about it, they'd drag it up just for old times' sake. Even if he and Carol would one day consider it water under the bridge it would matter to the people who loved her.

The point was proven when he told Hershel.

"YOU DID WHAT!" Hershel screamed in all caps.

Glenn had fallen ill too and they stood in his cell as he hacked up blood, probably about to have yet another near death experience, discussing what Rick had done.

"I kicked her out," Rick admitted. "She killed two innocent people, Hershel."

"Yeah, but you don't even look sorry."

Rick disagreed. His eyes were still watery from crying on the drive home and he knew that his asking Maggie if she would've had done it was his way of seeking out approval, that his internal struggle with what he'd done had ate away at him. It wasn't easy to kick out a friend and Rick felt his tears should've proved it. Instead of saying that though, he tried to make Hershel see the true issue.

"But Hershel, Carol didn't even seem sorry either. If anything she was **_indifferent._** She murdered two people who did nothing wrong except accidentally get sick and she acted as though kicking her out was way, way, way, way, way, way, way, way, super way worse than murder."

"Well duh, it is worse," Hershel answered. "Leaving The Queen alone is far worse than lighting folks on fire."

Rick was starting to feel deeply ashamed of himself but he decided to press a little harder.

"Would you feel that way if she'd killed Glenn?" Rick asked.

"Hell no," Hershel admitted. "He's my son-in-law. If she'd killed Glenn I would truly realize the severity of her actions and exactly how cruel they were. But she didn't, she killed two randoms that no one cares about so the point completely flies over my head."

"Um…riiight. Does this at least mean you won't hate me forever?"

"Nope, I'm going to hate you forever Rick."

"What if I told you Maggie agreed with me?"

"Still hate you and only you. Whose Maggie? Look Rick, you kicked out my favorite. That's all this boils down to. So I'm going to hate you with the passion of a thousand fiery suns until the day I die," Hershel said.

"Well why not just say that?" Rick asked. "Just say you hate me because I kicked out your favorite instead of trying to say I'm a horrible person?"

"Because telling everyone you're problematic justifies my ridiculous anger and it also helps me to convince everyone you're a bad person which will put more people on Team Carol instead of Team Rick, where they belong because she's The Queen."

Rick couldn't argue with that. When Glenn started coughing up fake blood and choking on it, almost dying again, Rick took his leave and headed towards Daryl's cell.

Supposedly Daryl was in love with Carol so telling him made Rick nervous. He was positive that because of their deep, deep romantic love that Daryl's reaction would be the worst of the group and they'd never be friends again or even share a friendly word. Rick imagined Daryl throwing Rick over the rails, kicking his face in, maybe lighting him on fire too all in the name of The Queen. Rick was surely going to pay, at least he thought so.

But to his surprise, Daryl too it fairly easily. Of course he seemed upset at the news, just as Rick had been in making the decision, but Daryl definitely wasn't out to avenge his lady's abandonment.

"Why aren't you angrier?" Rick asked Daryl.

"I'm upset. That ain't like her. Carol is a good friend but I won't hate you forever, Rick."

"Are you sure?" Rick asked, not really believing his luck.

"Positive. I have a funny feeling that here soon I'm actually gonna lay down my life for you in an attempt to protect you and Carl. Does that sound like a man that would be hating you for kicking out Carol?"

"Well, no."

"Yup. I'm sad, real sad. You know me, I cry a lot anyway, but you're still my brother."

Finally Rick had to voice his biggest concern. It'd been eating away at him since he pulled away.

"You think if I run into Carol again she'll hate me forever?" Rick asked. "I don't know what I'd do if The Queen hated me."

"Nah Rick, I have another funny feeling that you'll see each other again and both come to an understand and become good friends again."

"What about Hershel, you think he'll understand by then if even The Queen herself forgives me? Will he ever stop hating me?"

"Hell no," Daryl answered. "You kicked out his Queen. You're fucked."


End file.
